vivisectsx (vivisectsx@aol.com):

I am going to try to keep this simple.... NIN came out doing "terrible lie" (wow), and then burst into "march of the pigs."

Trent said "Hello, (finck)heads" and then they did "the becoming." Things got dark, and then they did a version of "sanctified" that will leave you breathless. They then did the further down the spiral version of "piggy", which was great, followed by "burn." Then (hold your pants) they did "CLOSER TO GOD"!

Now it gets great....

They started the intro to "eraser"... and our Dark Lord appears stage right playing SAX! (That's right, go ahead and splooge.) He was just breathing into that thing like it was an extension of his mouth!

Then, they did a version of "hurt" that made me cry. The harmonization was awesome...I don't think I will ever listen to that song the same way again.

brian leblanc (matrix@titan.oit.umass.edu):

Quite simply the best concert I've been to. This was my third time seeing NIN, and they were so tight and played with such conviction. It seemed they had to prove themselves worthy of opening for Bowie, and they did. Seeing Bowie, whom I've loved since I was a kid (I loved "Let's Dance"!), was such a great honor. And the duets -- well, it has to be seen and felt. My command of the English language is not enough to describe the beauty or emotion I felt.

sherrye lin (sherryelin@aol.com):

I really liked the Outside material... It WAS strange to see Bowie onstage with Reznor! After the Nine Inch Nails set, Bowie came out with NIN still on stage, with Trent Reznor playing sax as they went into "Subterraneans." And as they played, David quoted from "Scary Monsters" until they went straight into the song, Trent and Bowie singing together! (Bowie was gorgeous in a shiny, Lurex-type metallic blue jacket and shirt with black pants.)

They did quite a bit of performing together -- what's that "reptile"-type NIN song...? Sorry, I only know a few NIN titles, but they did that "reptile" song.... Eventually Reeves Gabrels walked on and joined them, and little by little Bowie's band members replaced NIN. And Nine Inch Nails were never to be seen again after that point, which settles all that supposition about who was opening and who was closing.

By the way, David did an EERIE rendition of "Man Who Sold the World," while sitting crosslegged (lotus position) on a table. And he did a beautiful, soul-wrenching version of "My Death" as his final number. There was no actual encore.

anthony kyle monday (akmonday@uclink3.berkeley.edu):

I can just imagine Bowie singing "hurt...." However, I just tried listening to "Scary Monsters" followed by "reptile," and it doesn't flow...I'm assuming SM sounds a lot more, well, like S+M when done with NIN.

How did people out there who hadn't seen NIN before like 'em? I've seen the band twice, and both times were incredible (even though the second time they had to stop for half an hour because Trent threw a mic stand at the drummer and gashed his head). The music comes a lot more alive when performed, uh, live, since there's a whole band playing and not just studio wizardry.

It's too bad there's nothing from The Buddha of Suburbia or any Tin Machine tracks (a couple would have been appropriate, like "Shopping for Girls") -- but we can't have everything, can we?...

philip obbard (cromwell@minerva.cis.yale.edu):

...Bowie's backing band hits you harder than the Spiders from Mars -- a cross between Tin Machine, NIN, and his band from the 1978 tour. And hearing Bowie sing "She spreads her legs wide open..." in his exaggerated Cockney accent was pretty amazing.

NIN puts on a great show. I've never seen them before, but I was not let down. In particular, "burn" was amazing. They also have an outstanding lead guitarist on this tour -- anyone know his name?

kris (penumbren@aol.com):

I've always liked CTG better than "closer" -- more...emotional. Tortured. Angry. Very good.

Seems Bowie fans are pretty divided about dropping the "hits." I'm glad he did. While I like his "hits," and a few of my favorite songs are ones that I'll never get to hear him sing live, it would drive me insane if he sang "Space Oddity" or "Rebel Rebel." (Now, "Big Brother," on the other hand....) I wish I'd been into Bowie sooner, so that I could've seen the Sound+Vision tour, but I'm glad he's doing new things with this one. He's always at his best when he's moving forward, rather than looking back.

brian harrison (tfbw45c@prodigy.com):

No one has seemed to mention the two things that struck me as cool at The Meadows last night. First, when Trent was singing "the becoming," some asshole in the pit threw his white T-shirt at Trent, and it hit him right in the face and kinda got stuck on his head. Trent pulled it off and threw it to the ground, and continued playing. It didn't even faze him. (If I were Trent, I would have kicked that bastard's ass, though.) Also, they used the reel projector at this concert as well. From "eraser" to "reptile" film of snow and bees and stuff was projected onto the stage.

Prick kicked ass! I was really interested in finally hearing them live, and you won't be disappointed. They seriously rocked the place.

No "pinion." NIN came out doing "terrible lie." I was getting tired of "pinion" anyway.

your friend kabir (kabir@mail1.sas.upenn.edu):

*cough*
*gasp*
*wheeze*
You were getting tired of WHAT???

jessica nocerino (jnocerin@saims.skidmore.edu):

Someone please tell David Bowie he is not Trent and never will be....

james salvatore (js4602@cnsvax.albany.edu):

Is there anyone here who is aware that music did not start with nine inch nails? Anyone? Apparently not.

allison eckers (eckers02@matrix.newpaltz.edu):

I thought it was great. Bowie never tried to be NIN. If anything, NIN has the influence from Bowie! He's the original. He's the music god. Everybody else comes after....

It sucked that Bowie only sang his recent songs. I was hoping to hear some Labyrinth and kinda disappointed that I didn't. I was upset that he didn't sing his old stuff, especially "Space Oddity." Oh well. He still sang great.

murphie (murphie@delphi.com):

Someone asked what the cool music that played between Prick and NIN sets was in Hartford (oh dear lord of grammar ... forgive me for that awful sentence).

The CD was Vangelis' Blade Runner soundtrack, and I completely flipped when they played it. (It's one of my favorite albums.)

kyle moyer (ksmst12@vms.cis.pitt.edu):

I got a bootleg yesterday from the opening show. It is an audience recording where you can hear a lot of the crowd, and when Trent comes out playing saxophone, some guy yells "It's Kenny G!" really loud.

Well, I thought it was funny, at least.

Boston, massachusetts

richard macdougall (rrmacd@beta.delphi.com):

Saw the Bowie/NIN show at Great Woods last night. I feel old for saying it, but Nine Inch Nails were boring. The "first set" they did was simply noise (kinda like Black Flag, Bauhaus, and Ministry all playing at the same time (psst -- i like bauhaus). The "second set" by NIN was a little better.

The segue to Bowie with NIN backing him on "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" was great. An exciting switchover from a dreadful band to an entertainer....

The songs Bowie chose are wonderful if you're a long-time fan. I had not yet heard anything from the forthcoming album, but what he played last night from Outside makes the anticipation even more exciting. The stage was fun -- you'll like it. The hot ice was a bit too much -- but hey, in the future everyone will get hot ice for 15 minutes.

The show was great. See it at any cost. [Bowie] looked fit and well. Danced awkwardly, as usual. But what an entertainer.

philip obbard (cromwell@minerva.cis.yale.edu):

I thought NIN were outstanding, and I'm really not much of a fan since 1993 or so. They're one of the top live acts travelling the road nowadays. And I loved the temperamental guitarist and keyboardist, who kept the roadies busy setting up mic stands, catching guitars flung forcefully off stage, etc.

...I prefer Bowie to Trent, and I think Bowie's band is considerably more skillful (especially Gabrels and Mike Garson) -- but in all honesty, NIN does much more for the adrenaline. Especially if you showed both bands to someone who wasn't a fan of either .

richard macdougall (rrmacd@beta.delphi.com):

Agreed, NIN was high-energy. Again, I feel old for saying it, but I wanted to see Bowie, the entertainer. I do not think NIN is a bad band, but I think the combination doesn't work.

I hope Bowie either adds some higher energy songs to the list, or drops off this tour to complete it alone or with a different opener. NIN is a lead act, and I know their fans thought it a great show. Wish I hadn't seen them that night.

russ dean (russdean@aol.com):

Mansfield, MA, 9/16/95 -- Another great night for a concert, although it was cloudier and colder than Thursday night in Hartford. The show was sold out, but by show time (NIN that is) not all seats had been taken. Eventually it was packed. I had lawn seats for this one and watched the video screen most of the time -- it was actually really enjoyable. Good sound on the lawn/sand pit (they took the grass out).

The songlist was the same, but the order was substantially revised from Hartford. It seemed to flow better because Bowie put the new songs together, with the one exception of "Outside," making them sound like a coherent unit. "We Prick You" has become one of my favorites, with its "we show respect -- even if we disagree" line -- you have to hear it! "My Death" was again a standout, as was "Night Flights" -- a great song, beautifully performed. "Teenage Wildlife," I think, was the song of the show. You could see Bowie really concentrating on this one -- and it's such a great song that it became a really special performance.

The main difference between Great Woods and Hartford was the confidence level of Bowie and band. Instead of concentrating on getting the songs right, they were more into the performances of the songs, leading to a greater feeling of assuredness and some genuinely great moments. Bowie closed by saying, "We say thanks for being listened to" -- a tip of the cap to the predominantly NIN crowd -- and the band cranked into "Joe the Lion," which I feared had been dropped but was a great closer.

As in Hartford, the NIN fans were well behaved. They were into their music, but not too obnoxious. Quite a few left during Bowie's set (basically because they were too hammered/high/whatever to stand up), but that's to be expected.

evil ernie (mdarwin@winternet.com):

Oh please. Get a fucking clue! I've seen NIN live three times, as well as Bowie in 1990, and I enjoy both artists. I've never taken any illegal substances in my life! When I go to shows, I go to enjoy the music. I don't need to be stoned or drunk to have fun. This is a really stupid stereotype. It's like saying all Grateful Dead fans are dope fiends. Whatever....

Let's turn this around: Don't you think people were getting hammered/high/whatever during the '72 Ziggy Stardust tour, a time when drugs were more prominent? No, I'm not saying that as a fact. I don't know the story. But after seeing NIN headline twice in the last year, I didn't notice a lot of stoned people in the audience. I DID notice the number of people there to hear the "hit songs" (i.e. "closer"). Those are the ones who are only going because it's the "in" thing to do.

david parmenter (daveparm@twain.oit.umass.edu):

...It was all that I had hoped it would be, save the fact that I couldn't see a fucking thing with my sand...er, I mean lawn seats. I loved how they totally caught the audience off guard when they came out with the lights still on and started "terrible lie." Only problem was that the mic didn't work until the end of the first verse. Finck's guitars kept fucking up, and he must have smashed three of them. Kinda sucked that the guitar went on the fritz during the "Hiding backwards inside of me..." part of " the becoming."

Now, the "eraser" part was kinda confusing, but as far as I can tell, they began with the normal version, and then they played softer, with Trent on the sax. I believe at this point they were playing part of "eraser (polite)"....

the borg (fishon@usa1.com):

Sorry, people, but this was a disappointing show. Trent's energy level was about half that of the downward spiral show I saw in Boston. The crowd never fully got into it like they did in Boston. Even the mosh pit seemed a little sedate. It was very low-tech. The light show was average at best, and they didn't have a real screen to project on. Just something that looked like an oversized bed sheet. There were some great highlights, and I had great seats, but I think it was a bad career move for Trent. I feel sorry for people who saw NIN here for the first time.

Prick was very good, and I yawned through Bowie.

jim stark (jstark@netheaven.com):

Trent freaked us all out. The house music was playing, the roadies were still onstage, and the next instant WHAM!

HEY GOD...(silence)

Trent's mic wasn't working. Two seconds later...(KICK ) (SLAM)

Robin's amp takes a beating. His gee-tars ain't workin' either. So we watch while Robin tries a new guitar...and another...and finally finds one that works. That's one hurtin' gee-tar tech right now. Poor guy. They all worked at the monitor soundcheck...I wonder what happened.

Trent's mic came in right at "a great big apology." Heh.

...I turned to Donna at the first acoustic part of "the becoming" ("I am backwards...") and I said "what's with the disco jangly guitar?" at which point Mr. Finck threw his guitar on the floor and Trent smashed it with a mic stand. Guess the jangly part was his guitar going, "Ha-ha...fuck you. Now you sound like one of the Village People. Nails my ass, Finck-boy." Pretty talkative guitar, if ya asked me.

All in all...good concert. Even with the few sound problems (and a couple of miscues on the lights) it was great. I was so happy to see "burn" and "the becoming" and "closer to god" (instead of "closer")...and I was one of the only people who knew what the fuck the Rick Rubin "piggy" remix was all about. Even the pit seemed confused by it! Pays to be a fuckin' freak fanatic fanboy (alliteration is a beautiful thing) sometimes.

...Trent (a) had a limited stage area to run in, (b) was visibly shaking so badly during most tunes I thought he was gonna explode (i.e. "the becoming," "down in it," and "hurt"), and (c) it's not HIS tour. It's my opinion that he's trying to calm down just a tad, because if he gets everyone fired up, they'll be watching a 40-something-year-old man just standing there. Woo-hoo. Ex-fucking-citing. Don't forget, Trent is gonna try to make Bowie look good...Bowie's one of his idols.

rich quinn (rquinn@bih.harvard.edu):

This set (out of three I've seen) was the worst. It was still great, though. I think I would stand in line for tickets if Trent were opening for Milli Vanilli.

After Trent, there wasn't much left to see. I'll explain: I am strictly/mostly a NIN fan, but I wanted to see Bowie, listen to his music and watch him perform. Here's the deal...he just kinda stands there. I know I am spoiled. I am spoiled by seeing Trent -- his energy, his anger, his smashing, etc. Trying to watch someone after a NIN show is just terrible. I wouldn't mind seeing Bowie, but after NIN you are so wound up that no performance on the planet could please you. So it's either trash Bowie or leave. For the record, [we] left after about six or seven songs of Bowie's solo set. It was still a great show, and worth every penny.

In Bowie's defense: Is there anyone who could follow Trent? That ranks right up there with crack whore for worst job on the planet. Well...that and Robin Finck's guitar tech.

ted grzesik (tedg@apollo.hp.com):

Yeah, that's how we felt. My cousin put it best: "Trent doesn't open for ANYONE!" (at least not since Lollapalooza -- even then, he almost stole the show from Jane's Addiction.) We'll never make that mistake again. Thirty-seven dollars for a one-hour show is too much for me. I'll wait for Trent to headline again.

jay (zowie@solar.sky.net):

I am disgusted to even see/hear that some people are walking out. What the hell is wrong with people of today? Nobody has any idea what David has added to the music industry.... I just am disgusted to hear that some children (you know it isn't the adults) are walking out during Bowie's performance. Just goes to show the mess that the music industry has made of fans today. Today people seem to have no appreciation for true bands who have a great career in music.

Who wants to bet that (1) the NIN fans that are walking out on David actually believe that he is covering Nirvana with "The Man Who Sold The World," and (2) that they can't even name more than five songs by NIN? Don't they realize that David invited Trent to HIS tour? Trent didn't call David! ...My apologies for venting here, but I am so upset after reading some of what I just have.

Afterthought: I love NIN, too.

edie (ebofkg@aol.com):

Trent is up there like, "Wow! I can't fucking believe I'm on stage with David Bowie and he's singing MY song!" I wish NIN fans would realize that Trent adores David. The collaboration, as I see it, is Trent's way of introducing David to his fans...let's hope some of them will be open-minded. But there's some hope, because the cheers for David during "hurt" were just as loud as the cheers for Trent. I was really excited by that.

kosuke kawakyu (koskq@bu.edu):

This has been the most ass-kicking show NIN has put on.... They started with "terrible lie," which pretty much made the whole show. "Sanctified" was great. They did it a really cool way -- really eerie and nothing like [the version] from pretty hate machine. It was actually funny for me in a way, because I was listening to the purest feeling CD and I thought, "Wow...Trent, you have come a long way, baby." I have to say that he also kind of got an attitude adjustment -- his voice didn't sound so whiny. One thing that bothered me: I don't like the "piggy" version (Rick Rubin's) at all. I was thinking the whole time: "Man, why doesn't he play the original one? That one is so much better."

ted grzesik (tedg@apollo.hp.com):

First off, Prick was pretty good. I'm usually really skeptical of opening bands, but they we good enough to tempt me to buy their album. Unfortunately, they only played for a half hour because the gates opened late (due to a late sound check or something).

NIN came on without notice and performed their set. Bowie then went on to play lots of songs that I never heard before or that I didn't recognize. As a Bowie fan, I was disappointed. As a NIN fan, I was downright depressed (due to a short one-hour NIN set ).

We walked out halfway through Bowie's set. It was just too boring. This is coming from someone who REALLY wanted to see him perform. Oh well. We ended up driving home partying to broken. My cousin who was with me put it best: "This Bowie stuff sounds like heavy-metal Muzak." Bowie is just trying to be like the next generation, and in my opinion failing miserably.

We all agreed that to save this tour, NIN should become the headline act and Bowie should take the opening slot.

mason turner (mason@lvsun.com):

Okay, here's a stupid question. I expect to be skewered for this, but does Bowie have his own band, or does NIN back him up? From what it sounds like, the NIN show and the Bowie show overlap. Is there a set change?

james salvatore (js4602@cnsvax.albany.edu):

Bowie has his own band. This is actually far better than having NIN back him up, since it allows him to move the songs around (95 percent of what they play is live) from night to night. They are also superior musicians. (I'd like to hear someone from NIN try to play Mike Garson's piano sections.)

robin colleen moore (robin@mindspring.com):

Actually, Trent probably could. He IS a classically trained pianist, after all.... They each do very well with what they do. Bowie's band may be technically better, but what makes them good musicians is the feeling they bring to their music -- technique is fine, but without some passion behind it, it's nothing more than wanking.

james salvatore (js4602@cnsvax.albany.edu):

Trent may have been a classically trained pianist, but there is nothing suggesting that he is anyway near as skilled as Garson. This isn't a putdown, just an observation. For example, I don't think Trent would be capable of playing one of Tori Amos' more complex songs...and Garson is better than her.

My point was that Bowie has not been playing the same set every night, so he needs most of the music to be live, not on tape. NIN relies too much on prerecorded material to fulfill this requirement -- therefore, they wouldn't be fit to be Bowie's band.

lisa livingston (procyon@icon.net):

Is prerecording a cardinal sin? With a show as complex as TDS was, you would have to prerecord a lot of it. It is hard as hell to play up against a sequencer, meaning you have to be on the ball musically to do so.... You are comparing apples to oranges here.

Bowie's musicians are literally LIVE musicians. Some of Bowie's material is a collection of guitar chords that just about anyone could play (with varying degrees of competency) if they were yelled out across the room. Trent has stated that with his music, you can't do that. His music was not designed to be played in that manner. The keyword is "designed." This is not music you could pick up a guitar and just play. If you have listened to any of Trent's music, you would realize that he uses multilayering techniques, sound distortion, etc. He takes sounds and throws them into a blender, records the sound being played in the blender, then uses two seconds of it to construct six seconds of a song (and plays it at a much slower or faster speed).

Without the prerecorded material, Trent's music would be unplayable live. It would not sound anything remotely like what is on a record. Why do you base the level of artistic talent a performer has on some antiquated standard?

You have to know the rules of music theory before you can break them with any sense of style. I suspect Trent knows a hell of a lot more than you give him credit for.

james salvatore (js4602@cnsvax.albany.edu):

I am perfectly in the right when I say that Trent has given no indication that he is capable of playing on the same technical level as Mike Garson. He just hasn't. Trent's talent lies in composition -- putting together many simple tracks, rather than a few complicated ones. You also must remember that he stopped taking piano lessons when in high school and hasn't resumed them since.

Did I say the NIN band was worse? No, I merely said that they were not the type of band Bowie needed. I am a big NIN fan and own every album, EP, and single, as well as a purest feeling bootleg. I respect Trent as an artist; I even have contributed to a 30-page dissertation on the downward spiral. You, however, have oversimplified the music of David Bowie by suggesting it is no more than a combination of chords. It's not. DB's music is just as complex as Trent's (just look at "The Heart's Filthy Lesson," or anything off of Scary Monsters).

noreen palazzo (stamps@westmin.win.net):

I've been a fan of Bowie for more years than I can remember...maybe since 1969? Anyway, I've seen him whenever he has toured in New England, with the exception of his first concert in the States. I have managed to acquire quite a nice collection of his music, interviews, etc. I truly enjoy him.

All of that being said, I was bored out of my mind at the concert he gave this past weekend at Great Woods. I actually left the show early -- couldn't stand it another minute and thought I'd rather leave now and beat the crowd than continue standing here cold and bored! What happened? He was so bland and uninspiring. I know of 10 other people attending this concert and they all agreed...two of the 10 happen to be my children who were brought up on Bowie and they, too, were quite surprised. They've seen him perform at other concerts and this time, he just didn't cut the cake.

I guess I was feeling pleased and looking forward to the concert. I felt he was/is the only one of the "older" types willing to attempt to bridge the two generations of music. The Rolling Stones, etc., all pretty much stick to their own and manage to have the "younger" set listen and attend their concerts and enjoy them -- but none of these groups have made an attempt at playing something "different" outside of their own realm. Certainly nothing that could be considered heavy metal or industrial or whatever. Maybe I'm wrong here and out of touch, but I don't recall anyone trying. I thought Bowie was going to make the difference and come out at the top, once again. Daring to be himself, different, within the confines of today's music. He seemed to use Nine Inch Nails to help bridge this gap and, I thought, to sort of lead the way without being too presumptuous, but was unable to follow through. Either I'm wrong and none of that is true, or, he failed miserably.

It was very painful to see so many people leave the concert before he was finished. I did think those around me gave him a fair chance in that they didn't leave immediately. It just never got better, so they left. So did I. I've always seen people disappointed in his concerts, especially in the early days, because he was always different from one concert to the next. One would go dressed in glitter only to find him dressed in black and white with a traditional hair style, or whatever. He would always lose some fans, I'd say, because that group always wanted more of the same. He always managed to gain new respect and fans, too, for the very reason others left him...he kept changing.

Maybe I'm getting old? I just don't think he did a good job this time. I'll have to buy the CD and give it a fair chance, but, at the concert, I heard nothing exciting or inspirational. Nothing to latch onto.

And what I really can't believe: I enjoyed Nine Inch Nails! Have I completely lost it?

jennifer lewis (jlewis@acs.bu.edu):

Were we at the same concert? I guess I don't really understand what you found so bland/boring. The song selection? I'll admit it's kind of weird to hear songs from an album that isn't released yet, but it's also kind of cool! His performance? The man is 48 years old, he's not going to do cartwheels on stage. I thought he was happy to be there and happy with what he was doing.... I've been to Bowie concerts since 1983 and this one did not stand out as uninspired or boring. I would much rather see this than Glass Spider again.

NIN did put on a good show. I personally enjoyed Bowie's part more, but that's me....

robert archer (rjarcher@wilde.oit.umass.edu):

...I've liked NIN since my friend gave me pretty hate machine. It's angry, not whiny like a lot of similar groups, and the lyrics and word play are great. Lots of energy, too.... I don't really like [Bowie's] new stuff, but I'd be disappointed if he didn't try new things. And that song about getting old was wonderful! ...Maybe with practice he'll make something with it....

anthony kyle monday (akmonday@uclink3.berkeley.edu):

"My Death"?

It's not new -- Scott Walker recorded it around 1970, I believe, and it was written by Jacques Brel long before that. Bowie recorded it on the Ziggy Live album.

kupa (kupa@acs.bu.edu):

...I have never really liked Bowie and therefore don't know the songs very well. Other than "Animal" I had not heard any of Prick's stuff, but I thought that they were quite good. "Terrible lie" started suddenly with the house lights on, and there were the sound problems that others have mentioned. I really liked the new trimmed-down light/stage show -- everyone in black with dyed-black hair and black instruments flooded in white light with a white backdrop. My personal high points for songs were "piggy," which most people couldn't figure out what it was, and "gave up," which is just amazing. "Closer to god" was another where the crowd had no clue. Speaking of the crowd, what was up with everyone just standing there in the seats with blank looks? The pit was practically not even moving. Personally I had my own little pit in the back of Section 3 and had a great time. It was just bizarre to see everyone standing still. I just don't get it.

I really don't like the new graphics on the shirt. The eight-pointed thing just doesn't do it for me.

richard macdougall (rrmacd@beta.delphi.com):

The crowd at Great Woods was primarily young NIN fans. The Bowie fans I know chose not to attend because of the opening act. Hence, the selection of older, more obscure songs made the show "seem" like a disappointment. The "ban" on "hits" is Bowie's decision to make, and I'm glad he stuck to it.

Following NIN (is that nine inch noise?) with a heavy dose of obscurity seems like a bad idea. Bowie will have to add more upbeat numbers if he thinks NIN fans are going to stay for his show. Okay, so he won't do "Rebel, Rebel," but what about "1984"? So he won't do "Jean Genie," how about "Drive-In Saturday"? No "Hang Onto Yourself," do "It Ain't Easy." Wanna do a ballad, try "Wild Is The Wind." I guess it's easy for me to sit at my desk and pontificate like this.

I fear that if Bowie doesn't change the set list, he'll not be able to complete the tour. How many cities will he perform in if 1,000+ people continue to get up and walk out of the "good" seats 20 minutes into his act?

The NIN combo is a mistake. Bowie should let them enjoy their success and move on himself. I loved the show, and would be grateful to see it again without the distraction of nine inch noise.... The combination of NIN and Bowie does not make good artistic, social, or political sense. The Great Woods performance of "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" by the two bands combined was fantastic. But one song out of three hours does not constitute a good idea for a tour.

I loved Bowie's selection of songs. Loved his performance. The tour is not working and he should break off with NIN ASAP.

crazy mule (rv4@coventry.ac.uk):

Bowie will be playing England as soon as November.... I also heard that Morrissey is supporting him (booooooooooh). Why would he want Mozzer supporting him in Britain when he has NIN in America? Do we Brits always have to get the rough end of the stick? Bowie has neglected us for far too long.

chris szopa (det187@ix.netcom.com):

After listening to that screeching noise for an hour or more, anyone less than a true Bowie fan cannot be blamed for wanting to get some peace and quiet by leaving early. I am willing to endure that sonic punishment to see Bowie, but just barely.

edie (ebofkg@aol.com):

If David thinks NIN are good enough to ask along for the tour, I can be open-minded enough to "endure" them. (Though after two shows and listening to his CDs to become familiar with the material, I must admit I've become quite fond of Mr. Reznor's "sonic punishment.")

william kronenberg (gtbm69d@prodigy.com):

The only thing better than seeing the best show of my life -- Bowie/NIN in Boston -- was getting the address for the Bowie web site: http://www.davidbowie.com/